J-Comi: 'Purify' File-Shared Manga with Authorized Ads

Manga creator Ken Akamatsu (Negima! Magister Negi Magi, Love Hina) proposed on Monday that his manga distribution site J-Comi can "purify" or legalize unauthorized manga scans on file-sharing networks by adding advertising to the existing files — with the creators' permission. The beta version of J-Comi already serves legal, free downloads of manga, but the new proposal will deal directly with illegally distributed files of manga. Akamatsu presented his plan under the title "Illegal (Out-of-Print) Manga File Purification Project."

Akamatsu first asked his readers if they have obtained ZIP-compressed archives of unauthorized manga scans from Winny, Share, and other file-sharing networks. Akamatsu added that "everyone has done this at least once." He then asked his readers if they still have the files, even if keeping the files makes the readers feel guilty, "maybe because they are important to you or are your favorite manga (^^)."